"Growth by Design... Continued"
Kevin Atherton, Ryan Bandy, Christopher Barkley, Christian Comer, Kyle Elliot, Paul Feistrizter, Brianna Forbes, Ken Johnson, Bradley Jones, Ritchie A. Katko, Jonathan Mabry, Tim Minnehan
The UKLA team was invited by the Simpson County "Our Pride Makes Progress Committee" to further explore planning ideas generated during the 2004 Tennessee Valley Authority visioning process "Growth by Design." Through that visioning process, land use decision-making was identified as an important topic for the future of the county. The "Growth by Design" document was used as a springboard to guide the exploration and development of ideas presented in this study, appropriately entitled "Growth by Design ... Continued."
The UKLA team was charged with focusing this project's efforts on three goals.
1. To identify strategies to accommodate diverse growth while respecting the historic and small town feel.
2. To develop a comprehensive recreational plan for all ages.
3. To enhance and preserve the visual character along transportation corridors.
It was important for the public to play an integral role in the land use planning process used to develop this land use vision. The planning process utilized by the team was highly dependent upon stakeholder involvement and feedback primarily through three public meetings. Meetings were structured to allow multiple opportunities for stakeholders to provide insight and direction in a variety of formats. The project was as much about developing specific ideas for the county as it was working with a community to learn about a different process for comprehensive land use planning.
The first step was to identify the issues and needs in the county. In this instance, a visioning study
(Growth By Design) already had taken place and was utilized to form the basis for later decision-making. Once the issues and needs of the county were understood, an inventory of biophysical, demographic, and economic information was completed. At Meeting 1, the opportunities and constraints uncovered during the inventory stage were presented, and the question of "How" to develop was asked of the participating stakeholders.
In preparation for the Meeting 2, an analysis of geospatial data was completed to allow for preliminary brainstorming and idea development based on feedback and previously identified needs. At the second meeting, preliminary ideas were presented and stakeholders given the opportunity to provide both qualitative and quantitative feedback on "Where" development should occur. Using feedback and stakeholder input, preliminary ideas were further refined and presented to the public at the third and final meeting.
The central focus of this learning experience was to work with the Simpson County community to develop ideas and strategies to increase and sustain a high quality of life at a time of many interrelated changes. The ideas discussed and illustrated were generated through many conversations and open community involvement sessions. In essence, this project represents an extended brainstorming session. None of the ideas depicted and discussed are meant to be implemented without further review, discussion, refinement, or modification by appropriate elected and/or appointed officials, agencies/consultants, and other interested stakeholders. It is our belief that the public owns the process of community decision making and therefore it is up to the community to make final decisions.
|• Full Report||• Introduction||• Biophysical Systems|
|• Demographics, Change, & Time||• Determining HOW to Grow||• Determining WHERE to Grow|
|• Toward a Master Land Use Plan||• Site Specific Strategies||• Conclusion & References|
|• Presentation 1||• Presentation 2||• Presentation 3|